1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to processor-based systems, and, more particularly, to updating serial devices in processor-based systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Businesses may use processor-based systems to perform a variety of tasks. These tasks may include, but are not limited to, developing new software, maintaining databases of information related to operations and management, and hosting a web server that may facilitate communications with customers. To handle such a wide range of tasks, businesses may employ a processor-based system used in a network-centric environment.
One example of a processor-based system used in a network-centric environment is a mid-range server system. A single mid-range server system may have a plurality of system boards that may, for example, contain one or more processors and one or more cache memory elements that store copies of frequently used data in close proximity to the one or more processors to provide the one or more processors with faster access to the data. The one or more processors may also include one or more associated memory elements that may store larger blocks of data.
In some embodiments, the plurality of system boards in the mid-range server system may be configured as one or more domains, where a domain, for example, may act as a separate machine by running its own instance of an operating system to perform one or more of the configured tasks. For example, in one embodiment, one domain may be configured as a web server, another as a database server, and a third as a network server. The demands on the different domains may change over time and thus the configuration of the various domains may be reconfigured to make more efficient use of the available resources. For example, if the number of users attempting to access the web server declines, system boards may be removed from the web domain and added to another domain, such as the domain that supports the database server.
A single reconfiguration may affect a number of domains at substantially the same time, but traditional reconfiguration methods update domains by updating one or more configuration registers in a serial manner. Consequently, one or more domains may have to suspend performing tasks while the configuration registers of other domains are being updated. For example, if a reconfiguration removes a system board from a first domain and adds it to a second domain, both domains may stop performing tasks while the board is removed from the first domain and then added to the second domain. Updating domains in the traditional serial manner may therefore reduce the efficiency of the mid-range server system.